Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery-powered systems and, more particularly, to an intelligent battery connector for battery-powered systems.
Description of the Related Art
Radio Controlled (RC) model vehicles appeal to people of all ages and skill sets. Many people who own RC vehicles do not understand all of the technical details about their vehicles or equipment, but only want to drive their vehicles and have fun. Using batteries that are not compatible with a particular vehicle's Electronic Speed Control (ESC) or battery charger may have catastrophic consequences for the battery, model vehicle, charger, or ESC. During daily use of RC model vehicles, multiple battery types and chemistry types may be used. Battery voltages can vary widely from less than 4.0V to greater than 25V. Many different battery chemistries are available; for example NiCd (Nickel Cadmium), NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride), LiPo (Lithium Polymer) and Pb (Lead Acid). Each time a different type of battery is used, settings need to be modified on both the ESC (low voltage cutoff, for example) and battery charger (charge termination voltage, for example) to ensure the battery is not damaged. As customers and other users in the RC community use different types of batteries, it has become evident that most users are not properly educated on the differences and requirements of each different type; especially as it relates to the battery chemistry. A mismatch of settings on the battery charger may cause serious damage to property, particularly to the battery being charged. There is a need to reduce the danger of using a battery with an improperly paired device and reduce the amount of time it takes to modify the ESC and battery charger settings for improving operation while also adding safety features to protect against damage from operation according to improper modes or parameters.